A condo tower proposal for Toronto's Yonge Street just got a whole lot taller — and it's not the first time this development pitch has vastly increased its planned height.

YI Developments — a development firm headed by Rick Rabba, President of Rabba Fine Foods — wants to build a 70-storey (72 storeys including mechanical levels) condo tower at 619 Yonge Street.

The site wrapping around the southeast corner of Yonge and Isabella is currently home to a block of businesses comprising 619-637 Yonge Street and 1-9 Isabella Street.

The bodega chain-associated developer has submitted a revised plan for this site that is a complete rethink of the firm's previous proposal for a 57-storey tower less than three years earlier.

As with the previous proposal, YI has retained Core Architects to design the latest version, a simplified rectilinear massing adorned in a patterned exterior and topped by a sculptural crown.

The existing west-facing and north-facing heritage masonry facades of 625 Yonge Street would be retained in-situ and incorporated into the base of the new tower, while the rest of the block would be cleared.

The plan would add over 800 condominium units and almost 2,500 square metres of new retail space to the block, served by just under 130 parking spaces and over 800 bicycle parking spots. The relatively light parking ratio was made possible by Toronto's 2021 move to ditch of mandatory parking minimums in new developments.

It's just the latest in a series of increasingly taller proposals for the site dating back a dozen years, which have seen the vision for the site gradually increase by 30 levels.

The site was first considered for a high-rise development back in 2012, when a 40-storey residential tower was proposed for the site by previous owner Edenshaw, later increased to 46 storeys in 2014.

The acquisition of additional properties and changing conditions on surrounding blocks led to a resubmitted plan seeking 57 storeys in 2021.

Towering condo development to replace a block of Yonge Street businesses https://t.co/ginkuniLiS #Toronto #TorontoRealEstate #RealEstate

— blogTO (@blogTO) November 16, 2021

Just two and a half years later, the latest ask seeks to build 70 storeys on this site, the product of discussions between the developer and City following an appeal with the Ontario Land Tribunal regarding the previous 57-storey version.

Will this ever-growing proposal get even taller with a new submission in the months or years to come? Or perhaps this 70-storey iteration is the version that will actually be built. Only time will tell.